July 31, (THEWILL) – The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has dismissed Canada’s appeal against a six-point deduction imposed on their women’s soccer team at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The penalty came after Canadian staff were found to have flown drones over New Zealand’s training sessions before their opening match, violating FIFA regulations.
Canada Soccer expressed disappointment with the decision, stating that their players should not be punished for actions they did not commit. The National Federation has initiated an independent external review of the incident, led by Sonia Regenbogen, described as a leading Canadian expert in workplace investigations.
The scandal has resulted in one-year bans from football-related activities for coach Bev Priestman and officials Joseph Lombardi and Jasmine Mander. Sport Canada has responded by withholding funding for the salaries of the suspended team officials, calling the incident an embarrassment to all Canadians.
Despite winning their first two games, Canada now sits third in Group A with no points following the deduction. They face Colombia in a crucial match, needing a victory to advance to the quarter-finals, while France takes on New Zealand in the group’s other fixture.
CAS stated that a detailed explanation of their decision will be published at a later date. Meanwhile, reports suggest that the use of drones by Canadian staff may have occurred prior to the Paris Games, prompting a broader investigation into the team’s practices.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
